The Road to the White House: Modern U.S. Political History
Summary
This course explores the modern political history of the United States from the late 19th century to the present. It examines the development of political parties, reform movements, and political culture in relation to economic cycles, wars, shifting ideological currents, and new technologies for mass communication.
About
How have historical processes, events, and actors shaped the political landscape of modern-day USA?
This course explores the background of today’s party system, social movements, political culture, and electoral procedures. It begins with the political and economic reform initiatives and lines of conflict that emerged in the late 19th century. Throughout the course, we analyze the changing conditions of American politics in relation to the rise of an industrial economy, large-scale immigration and urbanization, rapid technological development, and the enduring legacy of slavery.
The course literature and themes are closely tied to what is known as the “New Political History,” a vibrant and rapidly growing field that integrates traditional political history with analyses of power relations and institutional arrangements in relation to race, ethnicity, gender, and class. We examine how political actors, both individually and collectively, have mobilized during recurring waves of reform, such as Progressivism, the New Deal, the Civil Rights Movement, the New Left and New Right, the Moral Majority, and the Reagan Revolution.
Additionally, we study how the conditions of politics have shifted due to economic crises and wars, changing ideological currents, and new technologies for mass communication.
Prerequisites and selection
Entry requirements
General entrance requirements
Selection
Selection is based upon average grade from upper secondary school (34 %), the number of credits from previous university studies, maximum 165 credits (33 %) and Högskoleprovet - Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (33 %).
